Lizzie Hunter

Singapore gadget ‘sniffs’ out when toilets need cleaning

25 May, 2016

A toilet monitoring system developed by research engineers from Singapore's Agency for Science, Technology and Research can ‘sniff out’ when toilets need to be cleaned and has helped cleaning supervisors improve response time, prioritise duties and use their resources more efficiently.

A toilet monitoring system that can ‘sniff out’ when toilets need to be cleaned has helped cleaning supervisors in Singapore improve response time, prioritise duties and use their resources more efficiently.

Photo courtesy freedigitalphotos.net

The technology, called the Restroom Visitiliser System, tracks how heavily public restrooms are used and uses a sensor to measure the odour levels of ammonia (which is found in urine) and hydrogen sulphide (which is found in faeces).

The system was invented by research engineers from the Agency for Science, Technology and Research (A*Star) in Singapore back in 2013, and has been on trial in more than 60 public toilets in Singapore over the past two years, in places like the Singapore Zoo and River Safari.

The system has been licensed to a local enterprise called Convergent Smart Technologies that says the technology has received good reviews from cleaning contractors.

“Many public toilets are cleaned regularly during the day, regardless of how frequently they are used,” said A*Star’s Infocomm research industry development manager Dennis Quek.

“Cleaners have a roster for them to go and check the toilets up to six times a day, leading to manpower wastage. Some cleaning firms also act on complaints, most of which are about smell.”

Mr Quek revealed that there was a 30 per cent improvement in manpower productivity based on the results from toilets that tested the system.